It Should Have Been Me
by Jennastar8
Summary: What would Riverdale be like if Jason and Cheryl's roles were reversed? Read to find out!


**Chapter One:**

Riverdale was your typical, old, small, forgotten town. There was a small movie theater, and the only place to eat was the old fashioned diner called Pop's. There were two rival high schools, both located on opposites sides of town. And a mayor, who would do anything to protect the image of Riverdale

There was that one mansion that stood out from all of the rest of the houses, where the richest family lived: The Blossom family.

The Blossom family mansion, better known as Thorn Hill, housed a family with many secrets yet to be surfaced. Clifford Blossom was a shady, wealthy man. He ran the family business, a maple syrup company, and fathered two children. Twins, to be exact. Cheryl and Jason Blossom were inseparable. They had a bond that only twins could share. They also happened to be the most spoiled, most snobby, most popular teens of Riverdale. Jason and Cheryl, Cheryl and Jason. They loved each other, or so everyone thought.

And of course there was the Southside, the abandoned, rundown part of Riverdale where a gang, called the Southside Serpents, harbored and the place where crimes were committed and drug dealing was a regular.

This was the boring town of Riverdale. Everyday was the same. That was until a fateful July 4th, when Dilton Doyley, head of the boy scouts, stumbled upon a confused and distraught Jason Blossom, sitting with arms wrapped around himself on the bank of Riverdale's only river; Sweetwater River.

A broken canoe laid in pieces a few feet away from him, a paddle still floating by the water. His red hair was still slick with water, and when he looked up at Dilton Doyley with red, puffy eyes, he whispered something that would start the mystery that would change Riverdale forever, and would create a life long friendship between four troubled teens.

"It should of been me."

* * *

 _Two Months Later. The first day of school._

"Up, Betty! Wake up! It's your first day of school, and perfect students are never late." Alice Cooper said as she burst through Betty's bedroom door, in an attempt to get her daughter out of bed. It was already 6:00 am and Alice would not have their reputation as the perfect family be ruined because Betty Cooper did not want to get up.

Betty groaned as her mother opened the curtains and the morning light came pouring into the room. Betty hated the word perfect, as she was far from it, despite what everyone believed. She covered her face with her pillow in an attempt to drown out her mother's voice as she began listing the things Betty needed to do before school.

"Now, I want you to be down stairs by 6:15, ready for school. I want you to come with me to the Blue and Gold before school to review a newspaper article I've been working on about the death of Cheryl Blossom." Her mom ordered, and with that she walked out of her room.

It's been two months since her death, and it is still the talk of the town. Well, I wouldn't call it her death. They never did find her body. The police still haven't cracked the mysterious case. Nobody knew what really happened. They could only get information from Jason Blossom himself, who hasn't been much help considering he doesn't remember what really happened. Or so everyone thought. Betty knew everyone would be talking about it today.

"Mom, school doesn't start until 7:30. Give me a break." Betty exclaimed tiredly, knowing her mom probably didn't hear her. She spent her whole summer working at an internship to please her mother and and getting ready for her tenth grade year. The least her mother could do is let her sleep five more minutes. But no, because a perfect daughter always follows parental orders.

There was no use in fighting her mother, because she would most likely lose. As Betty groggily got out of bed, she walked to her window and looked out to the window across from her where her best friend since childhood lived, Archie Andrews.

Betty had know Archie since she can remember, and it pained her that she didn't see him all summer. She was away at her internship and he was working at his father's construction site. Betty loved his thick red hair and his scrawny body. She also loved his smile and the way he laughed. God, did she love him. Betty has been in love with him since second grade. But they had only been best friends and nothing more.

"If only he felt the same way." Betty said longingly.

Betty couldn't wait to see him today. For the first time in months they would be able to talk to each other without a crazy mom, internships or work interrupt them.

Betty sighed. She hopped this year would be the year they would finally become more than friends, the year Betty would ask if he felt the same way. She felt butterflies in her stomach just thinking about talking to him. Betty knew he was probably going to try out for football this year, and all she wanted to do was try out for cheer leading.

Betty swooned at that thought. The quarterback and the cheerleader, forever together.

"Betty and Archie, Archie and Betty Andrews." She couldn't help but feel that their names sounded so right together.

Betty didn't get long to fantasize, however. It was already 6:05, and her mother would throw a fit if she was the least bit late.

After taking off her light purple pajamas, she threw on a light pink long sleeved sweater with a white collar, a light blue pair of skinny jeans, and black flats. Running to the bathroom, Betty brushed her teeth, tied her blonde curly hair up into a neat and tidy pony tail, a put on some concealer, blush, mascara and light pink lip gloss.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she took a deep breath while mentally preparing herself for the next nine months of school. Picture perfect as always, Betty thought to herself as she tried to keep her nails from digging into her palms.

* * *

Veronica Lodge looked at her alarm clock on her side table. It read 5:59 am.

She sighed. She had been up all night thinking about today and what could go wrong. It was only two days ago she and her mother, Heromione Lodge, escaped from New York to get away from the press and drama going on back home. Veronica didn't want to move to Riverdale. She didn't know why, of all places, her mom moved them here.

There were no shopping malls, no Starbucks, and no updated technology, which was the complete opposite of what Veronica Lodge stood for. The only thing remotely interesting about this place was the mysterious death of a teenage girl that belonged to the wealthiest family here.

"We couldn't stay in New York, Mija. I grew up here, I know people here. With your father facing jail time, we have no money. I know it will take some getting used to, but you _will_ grow to love Riverdale. Trust me. Besides, this is only temporary until your father gets his money back. And he will. Soon. For now, we just need to lay low and use our remaining money wisely." Her mom always says.

Veronica rolled over and got of her bed, dread filling her body. She didn't want this, but Veronica guessed her mother was right. Here she could have a fresh start, away from news reporters and press. Like her mother said, this is only temporary. In less than a month or two they will be movie back to our luxury apartment in New York and go back to being a wealthy family again.

When Veronica reached the kitchen of their small apartment, the smell of coffee and fast food surrounded her. Looking over to the counter, Veronica saw a coffee and a bag of food from Pop's, the diner her mom claims serves the best food in town. Beside the cup of coffee was a small note.

 _Sorry I'm not here, Mija, but I brought you food from Pop's to eat. Be here when you get home from school. I went to go find a job, maybe one from Pop's. Have a great first day of school, Mija._

 _Love you._

 _Mom_

Veronica rolled her eyes. Great, I'm going to have to walk to school, Veronica thought sulkily. Looking out the small kitchen window, she could see it was going to rain soon.

"Riverdale just keeps getting better and better." Veronica said, frustrated.

Realizing that she needed to hurry, Veronica skipped breakfast and headed back to her room where she did her hair, replaced her silk pajamas with a long sleeved grey shirt and black mini skirt with black high heels. Grabbing her pearl necklace her father, Hiram Lodge, gave her, she put it on and brushed her teeth.

After applying some purple lipstick and did her eyebrows, she walked back to the kitchen and grabbed her coffee, jacket, book bag and an umbrella. With that, she stepped out to the apartment hallway and tried to convince herself today wouldn't be too horrible.

* * *

Archie Andrews was out on the porch with his guitar when he heard his dad, Fred Andrews, turn on the 6:00 am news on their T.V.

Archie assumed his dad didn't know he was out here, as Archie had been on the porch practicing his new found passion since three am when he couldn't sleep.

Night time was really the only time Archie could play his guitar and be his true self. He loved Fred, but Archie knows if he explained to his dad that he loves music more than football and working on his construction site, he wouldn't understand.

So Archie's nigh time practices have become more frequent, but Archie didn't care that he was losing sleep. He was never tired, especially not today.

Today he would see his classmates again since the accident on July 4th. Today he would see Betty Cooper, the most amazing friend he has ever had. Archie missed her a lot over the summer, but she was busy at an internship and he understood that. He couldn't wait to talk to her and hear about her summer. Archie hoped it wasn't filled with too much work. She deserved some free time.

Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones were really his only friends that he's known since he was little. He didn't see much of Jughead either, as Jug worked at the only drive in movie theater in town. Archie knew life was tough for his friend, for he had a drunken dad who lived in a trailer on the Southside. So he took comfort in knowing that Jughead was doing something he loved all summer.

Because his two best friends were busy all the time, Archie would work at his dad's construction site to make the days go by faster. He loved working with his dad. Archie liked it more in Riverdale with his father than in Chicago with his mother.

One day during the summer, however, Archie was looking for something underneath his bed when he found his old guitar from a few years back. Since that day, Archie has been secretly practicing music and song writing, hoping to pursue that after high school. But he knew that football would get him into a college where he would start taking over his dad's construction business.

Archie was having second thoughts about his dream of owning the construction site. Well this wasn't his dream, it was his dad's.

Getting out of his chair, Archie quickly walked down the porch steps and took off to the person who had always supported him to pursue his dream of becoming a musician, and the girl who he developed feelings for over the summer. Archie Andrews walked to the house of Ms. Grundy, their high school's music teacher.

* * *

"Would you like another chocolate milkshake, sir?" The waitress asked a focused Jughead Jones. He was typing fiercely on his laptop, working on his book about the disappearance of Cheryl Blossom.

"S'excuse me, sir?" The waitress asked again, getting annoyed and waving her hand in between Jughead and his computer.

Jughead seemed to snap out of his daze. "Oh, yeah. That would be great." Jughead said, handing the woman another three dollars.

"Sir, this is your eighth milkshake. You have been here since 8:00pm when I left, and you are still here at 6:00 am." The waitress said, a little concerned and confused. Jughead finally looked up at her.

"Forgive me if I'm wrong," Jughead paused and looked at the waitress' name tag, "Kathy, but this is a diner that is open 24/7, no?" Jughead asked sarcastically.

"Well, yes, but I just wanted to know if you wanted me to call anyone or-" Jughead cut her off.

"I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine, thank you." Jughead responded looking back at his computer screen and began typing.

Kathy didn't know what to say. "Then I'll, um, be right back with your shake." She left in a hurry.

Jughead looked at the little clock in the corner. He couldn't believe it was already 6:03 am. It seems like he just got here. Then Jughead remembered what day it was, and inwardly groaned.

Jughead never liked the first day of school, no matter what grade he was going into. Summer went by quickly for him, especially since Cheryl Blossom went missing. He was convinced there was something shady about this whole situation, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

Jughead didn't see much of his two friends. Jughead had been busy with the drive in movie theater and investigating the crime that happened exactly two months ago. Knowing that today he would see them today was some consolation. Especially Betty, the girl he loved since the second grade when she let him eat some of her crackers during snack time.

Even thinking about that moment brought a small smile to Jughead's face. Wanting to take a quick shower before school began, Jughead closed his laptop and looked over. He didn't even realize the waitress brought his milkshake already.

Knowing he couldn't let this shake go to waste, Jughead sucked it down, put his laptop in his bag, stood up and started his way to the school's locker room showers.

* * *

 **I hope you guys liked! Part two will be up soon if I get some reviews on this:) Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

 **-J**


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